Chain stitch sewing machine



Feb. 14, 1933. A. s. RIVEERE CHAIN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 14, 1933.

A. s. RIVIERE 1,897,988

CHAIN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 2 HIIHH Feb. 14, 1933. s v g 1,897,988

CHAIN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 14, 1933. A. s. RIVIERE CHAIN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F eb. 14, 1933.

CHAIN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A. s. RIVIEREV 1,897,988

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce ALBERT S. RIVIEBE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COIMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CHAIN STITCH SEWING- MACHINE Application filed February 9, 1931. Serial No. 514,625.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a chain stitch sewing machine, and more particularly to a machine wherein a: retainer enters the needle thread loop and holds the same for the thread carrying looper to enter. It has been a common exped'ent in a chain stitch forming mechanism of this character to provide a retainer and a looper which move back and forth in a plane at one side of the needle and parallel with the line of feed.

i LIl object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above type wherein the looper is opposed to the retainer and wherein the looper and retainer both move in a curved path at one side of the needle path.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the looper and retainer move in a curved path lying in a horizontal plane.

11 still further object of the invention is to provide a stitch forming mechanism of the above character wherein the looper and the retainer are a rigid part of the same carrier which is oscillated for imparting movements to the looper and retainer.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of i..ustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a machine embodying the improvements.

Fig. 2 is a view of the parts of the machine beneath the work support with the feed dog removed so as to better show thelooper and retainer.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale parallel with the line of feed and showing the looper and retaining mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. at is a. detail showing the position of the parts as the needle moves down into its thread triangle.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 4 but showing the needle on its up stroke and the point of the thread retainer as having entered the needle thread loop.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the retainer as having moved all the way into the needle thread loop and retaining the needle thread loop for the threaded looper to enter.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view showing the threaded looper as having moved into the retained needle loop'held on the retainer and the nee.- dle on its next descent about to penetrate the fabric.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the looper and the retainer and the carrier therefor.

Theinvention is directed to a sewing ma chine having a thread carrying needle and a loop retainer adapted to enter the needle thread loop and hold the same while the needle rises and for a thread carrying looper to enter. The looper and retainer are rigidly mounted on the same carrier. The carrier is in turn mounted for oscillation about a vertical axis so that the looper and retainer are moved in a curved path lying in a horizontal plane. This path of movement of the looper and retainer is on one side of the needle. The retainer passes into the needle thread loop and holds the same so that the looper when the retainer is retracted enters the needle thread loop and the point of the looper is therefore directly above the retainer.

The invention will possibly be better understood by a detailed reference to the illustrated embodiment of the invention. The sewing machine to which the invention has been applied includes a supporting bed 1 carrying a cloth plate 2 on which the fabric is placed for stitching. The bed plate carries the usual standard which is provided with an overhanging arm 3 carrying a needle head 4. A needle bar 5 is mounted in this needle head for vertical reciprocation. Said needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 6 connected to said needle bar by a link 7. At the lower end of the needle bar is a cross head 8. As shown in the drawings there are two needles 9, 9. The cross head is also shown as provided with means for holding two other needles. While the invention is particularly adapted for a multiple needle machine which makes a plurality of separate and independent lines of stitching, all of the stitch forming devices are similar in character and function in the same way, and therefore adetailed description of one of the stitch forming devices only will be given. The material is fed across the work support by a feed dog 11. It is held on the work support by a presser foot of the usual type. The feed dog 11 is carried by a feed bar 12 which moves the feed dog back and forth as it is raised and lowered by means of an eccentric 13 on the main shaft 14:-

Cooperating with the needle 9 beneath the work support isa thread retainer 15 and a thread carrying looper 16. The retainer and looper are both formed from the same piece of metal as the carrier 17 which supports the same. This carrier 1? is attached to a shaft 18 mounted for oscillation about a vertical aXis in a supporting bar 19. The supporting bar 19 is slotted as indicated at 20 in Fig. l of the drawings, and an arm 21 secured to the shaft 18 by a set screw 22 projects from the slot in the bar. A link 23 is pivoted at 2% to the arm 21. This link in turn is pivoted to a lever 25 which is mounted for oscillation about a fulcrum pin 26. The outer end of the lever 25 is connected at 27 to a link 28. The link 28 is connected to an arm 29 of a rock lever which is mounted for oscillation about a vertical stud 30. This rock lever carries an arm 31 provided with a ball stud to which an eccentric strap 32 is connected. The eccentric strap cooperates with an eccentric 33 on the main shaft 14. As the main shaft 14 rotates it will cause, through this train of mechanism, the carrier for the looper and the retainer to oscillate about a vertical axis.

The loop retainer and the looper are both curved su scantially about the center of oscillation of the carrier 17. The loop retainer is provided with a point 15 which moves very close to the needle so as to enter with certainty into the needle thread loop. As a matter of fact in the stitch formation the point of the retainer passes between the needle thread and the shank of the needle on the down stroke of the needle. The needle is provided with a scarf 9" to facilitate the passage of the retainer between the thread and the shank of the needle. When the needle thread loop is taken by the retainer it slides back onto the shank of the loop retainer and is thus slightly deflected away from the needle path so as to insure the point 16 of the looper entering the same. This point of the looper is directly over the shank of the retainer, and as the retainer is retracted so that the loop slips forward on the retainer it will slip over the point of the looper and back on the looper before it is dropped from the retainer. The needle thread is indicated at n in the drawings.

The looper 16 is a thread carrying looper. It is provided with an eye 16 near its point 16% and also with an eye 16 near the heel of the looper. There is a groove on the side of the looper away from the needle, and the side of the looper adjacent the needle is cutaway as indicated at 16 so as to provide ample clearance to insure the point of the needle passing the looper.

After the point of the retainer has entered well into the needle thread loop the needle continues on its upward stroke and its loop will be held by the retainer. After the looper has entered well into the needle thread loop the feed of the fabric takes place so that the needle on its next descent will form its new puncture through the fabric. This feed of the fabric away from the needle path carries the shank of the needle thread loop then on the looper rearwardly from the needle path.

It also carries the looper thread running from the formed stitch to the eye of the looper rearwardly and the needle will therefore with certainty pass between V the looper thread indicated at l and the body of the looper, and also in front of the needle thread loop on the looper. This is often referred to as the thread triangle and it is essential that the point of the needle shall pass into this triangle in order to complete the stitch.

It will be noted that both the retainer and the looper move in paths lying in a horizontal plane. Therefore, there is very little draw on the thread loops held thereby. The path of movement of the retainer and the looper may be placed very close to the under side of the feed dog and well up to the under face of the fabric. This shortens appreciably the length of loop necessary to be formed in the needle thread in order to concatenate the threads. In my construction of retainer which moves very close to the needle the retainer is caused to pass between the needle thread and the body of the needle prior to the time when the needle rises to throw out the usual loop and therefore the nicety of timing in order to insure stitch formation is not necessary. Furthermore, inasmuch as the looper and retainer move in a fixed path back and forth without any lateral movement, this also reduces to a minimum the lateral extending of the needle thread loop. Then again, as the retainer takes the needle thread loop from the needle and the needle on its next descent co perates with the looper the needle may be given a relatively short stroke and the retainer and threaded looper may also be given relatively short strokes. This prevents reaving of the threads and wear on the parts and contributes to a very high speed machine. As the looper moves in a curved horizontal path the thread running from the eye of the looper to the previous stitch is very readily and positively carried across the needle path and the needle will, with certainty, pass between the looper thread and the body of the looper. 'Ihe curving of the looper and the cutting away of the face thereor adjacent the needle further contributes to insure the needle passing between the looper thread and the body of the looper.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the manner of supporting and operating the looper and the loop retainer without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The essential feature resides in the placing of the looper and the retainer so that they are opposed to each other, and in the oscillating of the same in a curved path which is substantially horizontal and which is at one side of the needle path.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sewing machine, the combination of a ceding mechanism, a needle and a complem stitch forming mechanism including op retainer adapted to enter and retai -e needle loop, and a threaded looper l to subsequently enter the needle op while said loop is on the retainer, and retainer being opposed to and mounted on a common carth looper above and overlying the means ior oscillating said carrier vertical axis for causing said retainer lbOLc to enter the needle thread loop and hold the same and for causing sail thread carrying looper to enter the retained needle thread loop helm on the retainer.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination 01: a feedin mechanism, a needle and a complemeutal sttch forming mechanism including loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter the retained needle thread loop on the retainer, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other and about. a vertical axis and in paths at one de of the needle, said loop retainer navi e body thereof curved about its axis of oscillation as a center.

In a sewing; machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, a needle and a compleinental stitch forming mechanism including a loop re iner adapted to enter and retain the neecle loop, and a threadec. looper adapted to subsequently enter he retained needle tbrea loop onthe retainer, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other and oscillat g about a vertical axis and in paths at one ide ot the needle, the body of said looper being curved about its axis of oscillation as a center.

l. In a sewing machine, the combination or a feeding mechanism, a needle and a complemental stitch forming mechanism includi ,g a loop retainer adapted to enter and re- .l t1 e ll lo a l a thr d d 1 ot r La n 1e m r e op, ant, L ea e V adapted to subsequently enter the retained needle thread loop on the retainer, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other and mounted on a common carrier, means for oscillat said carrier about a vertical axis for causing said retainer to enter the needle thread loop and hold the same and for causing said thread carrying looper to enter the retain ed needle thread loop held on the retainer,

the body o1 the retainer and the body of the looper being each curved about the axis of the looper carrier as a center.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, needle and a complenon 'al stitch forming; mechanism including oop re'l'ai er adapted to enter and retain needle loop, and a. threaded looper adapt- 0 en 1 the retained needle thread loop on e reta n saic looper and retainer being ose l to each other and mounted on a common carrier, means for oscillating said carrier about a vertical axis for causing said reainer to enter the needle thread loop and hold the same and for causing said thread carrying looper to enter the retained needle thread loop on the retainer, the body of the retainer and the body of the looper being each curved about the axis of the looper carrier as a cen ter, the point or. the looper. being positioned directly over the body of the retainer and the point of the retainer being; curved and defiected laterally toward the path of the needle.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, a needle and a complemental stitch forming mechanism includ ing a loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter the retained needle thread loop on the retainer, a carrier for said looper and said retainer mounted for oscillation about a vertical axis, said looper and said retainer being formed as an integral part of the carrier.

7 In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, a needle and a complemental stitch forming mechanism includ ing a loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle thread loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter and retain the needle thread loop on the retainer, said retainer and threaded looper being mounted for movement about a vertical axis, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other, with the retainer positioned below the looper.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, a needle and a complemental stitch forming mechanism including a loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle thread loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter and retain the needle thread loop on the retainer, said retainer and threaded looper being mounted for movement about a vertical axis, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other, with the retainer positioned be low the looper and underlying the looper at e the forward end thereof. 10

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, needle and a complemental stitch forming mechanism includ ing a loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle thread loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter and retain the needle thread loop on the retainer, said retainer and threaded looper being mounted for movement about a vertical axis, said looper and retainer being opposed to each other, with the retainer positioned below the looper and underlying the looper at the forward end thereof, said looper and retainer being curved about the center about t which they oscillate, and means for oscillating said looper and retainer.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination of a feeding mechanism, a needle and a cornplemental stitch forming mechanism including a loop retainer adapted to enter and retain the needle thread loop, and a threaded looper adapted to subsequently enter and retain the needle thread loop on the retainer, said retainer and threaded looper being mounted for movement about a vertical axis,

said looper and retainer being opposed to each other, with the retainer positioned below the looper and underlying the looper at the forward end thereof, said looper and retainer being curved about the center about which they oscillate, and means for oscillating said looper and retainer, the point of said retainer being disposed at one side of and within the path of movement of the looper,

v and said needle being disposed between the path of movement of the point of the retainer and the axis about which it oscillates.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature,

ALBERT S. RIVIERE. 

